Art and Philosophy in Hindu Temple Building

Summary

In this article the author examines the symbolic and philosophical foundations of Hindu temple architecture by tracing the origins of temple design to the village plan described in the R̥gveda. Villages and early temples were elliptical or quadrangular enclosures with walls, four gates aligned with the cardinal points and an internal road running around the central shrine. These features survived in medieval temples like Jagannātha at Puri and Mahākāla at Ujjain. Inside the temple complex two perpendicular roads intersect in the centre while a circumambulatory path (parikramāṇavīthi) encircles the sanctum. The main shrine is divided into three or four parts: the bhoga‑maṇḍira, the nāṭa‑maṇḍira, a passage or jagamohana, and the śrī‑maṇḍira housing the deity. The four subsidiary shrines at the gates are dedicated to Brahmā, Viṣṇu‑Sūrya, Śiva and Viṣṇu‑Nārāyaṇa, embodying the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, destruction and dissolution. The article argues that this arrangement reflects an ancient Aryan cosmological philosophy of cyclical evolution and counter‑evolution. It discusses the evolution of Vaiṣṇavism and Śaivism, noting that they were originally complementary aspects of one religion and only later became distinct sects. The author traces the incorporation of village‑temple symbolism into Buddhist architecture, the impact of Greek sculptural traditions on Indian art after Alexander’s invasion, and the development of the Gandhāra school. He explains that temple superstructures such as the lotus‑topped śikhara and the stūpa‑like dome symbolise different metaphysical concepts, while practices like pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation) and darśana (seeing the deity) illustrate how architecture shapes ritual. The article concludes by emphasising that Hindu temples are not arbitrary structures but living embodiments of metaphysical ideas and cultural history, synthesising indigenous and foreign influences into a uniquely Indian architectural tradition.